Sports

Why The Cubs Stood Pat At The Trade Deadline

By Steve Rhodes

Each Cub, in his own way, turned out to be indispensable.

* Geo Soto's connections too important to Mike Quade's well-being to trade away.

* Koyie Hill bonded with Rahm over loss of finger; could come in handy.

* Tony Pena the left-handed .227 hitter Hendry always wanted.

* Darwin Barney Bobblehead Day already on next year's schedule.

* Starlin Castro's Uncle Raul nixed deal to send his talents to South Beach.

* Aramis Ramirez is already committed to his kids' carpool in September.

* Alfonso Soriano dropped pen to waive no-trade clause, bumped head on table after retrieving it, deal withdrawn.

* Marlon Byrd Bobblehead Day with jaw-protecting helmets already on next year's schedule.

* Tyler Colvin deserves chance to hit .240 in the bigs.

* Reed Johnson: Nickname "Big Swinging" too funny to give up.

* Jeff Baker: Indispensable utility man is the first building block for 2012.

* Tony Campana: As a 14-year-old, not eligible for trading yet.

* Blake DeWitt: Someone has to mentor infielder DJ LaMahieu in how to play the outfield out of position next spring.

* Carlos Zambrano: Package deal with Ramirez to White Sox fell apart when Hendry learned Scott Podsednik was no longer on the South Side and therefore unavailable.

* Ryan Dempster: Bookings for his Harry Caray impersonation too important a revenue stream to Cubs.

* Matt Garza: Refused to go because he thinks team is still in it.

* David Wells: Hendry working on time machine to retrieve him from rookie year.

* Rodrigo Lopez: Visalia unwilling to throw a hundred hot dogs into deal for a dozen baseball bats.

* Carlos Marmol: Hendry hung up phone on Yankees when they refused to take him straight up for Rivera.

* Sean Marshall: A set-up man is the building block for you whole team. Setting up losses is one of the most important jobs in baseball.

* James Russell: As the team's pitching scapegoat, Hendry was worried that trading him would put a curse on the team.

* Kerry Wood: Team still has 100,000 We've Got Wood t-shirts in stock.

* Jeff Samardzija: Under a deal Hendry made with Notre Dame, the school controls one roster spot for an alum for the next 75 years.

* Ramon Ortiz: Has photos of Jim Hendry pleasuring himself with stacks of no-trade clauses.

* John Grabow: Nickname of John Grabass too funny to give up.

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